Page 40 - Retail Pharmacy Assistants - October 2020

38 PRE AND POSTNATAL Pregnancy in the COVID ERA As the world continues to grapple with the pandemic and governments take measures, some of them extreme, to stop the spread of the virus, it’s a disconcerting time for most people, and potentially even more so for pregnant women or new mums. This month we speak to a number of health experts about pregnancy in the time of Covid-19. PBy Margaret Mielczarek. regnancy is supposed to bring joy, excitement and the anticipation of the journey ahead, but for many pregnant women – and new mums – the Covid-19 pandemic has probably created a sense of unease, anxiety and perhaps panic, with the many unknowns surrounding this novel, highly-contagious virus for which there is no vaccine available yet. As the days and months pass in the fight against the virus, research is shedding light on its effects and the likelihood of potentially at-risk population groups, such as those who are pregnant, of catching Covid-19. According to Queensland-based Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Drew Moffrey, the reassuring news is that pregnant women and new mums are “no more likely” to catch Covid-19 than others, and if they do, their “symptoms are \\\[likely to be\\\] no worse”. RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • OCT 2020